You're a Dog Man, Charlie Brown!
by Werewolf of Suburbia
Summary: Snoopy never went home he stayed with Lila. This left Charlie Brown heartbroken beyond belief. When he gets tired of both memories and friends alike, he joins the Army, and gets sent into service during WWII. The big problem? Snoopy's his Army Dog. 1st fi
1. Ten Long Years of Memories

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I wish I owned something, but I do not have a million dollars, nor am I best friends with the people who do. Otherwise, I would own it. All other notes to be made at the end of the story. Thank you.

* * *

Charles Brown was miserable. He'd been miserable for a long, long time. Of course, this could be blamed on a beagle named Snoopy, who had left him one summer when Charlie was about eight, and never came back once, not even for a visit. Charlie Brown had loved Snoopy, even if he didn't show it, and had been heartbroken ever since.

To show it, he had yet to actually come outside overly much since he was ten and had run into the owners of the she-beagle Snoopy had nearly killed himself trying to impress, walking said beagle. Seeing them, or rather, the she-dog, had brought back memories of Snoopy, still sharp two years later, and he had hid inside. He had refused to leave ever since, not willing to risk seeing the she-beagle, the cat next door or any number of other things that would lead him straight back to thinking about Snoopy.

His friends understood at the time. They had all been heartbroken when Snoopy left, and even Lucy, the most hardened of them all, had sobbed for several days straight after the beagle had left—and she had maintained all that time that Snoopy was nothing to her but a "Stupid Beagle." Of course, at the time, they were only ten years old.

Now they were nearly adults, 17 years old, and while they could sympathize, they couldn't really understand. Well, they probably could, but they didn't want to. They wanted to make Charlie Brown come back outside again.

Of course, they didn't know that they had a distinct advantage that Charlie would never have—their sorrow and the memory of the heartbreak caused by Snoopy's leaving had dulled and faded over the course of time. For Charlie, it never had, and never would. Snoopy, and anything that could even distantly relate to Snoopy, was just as painfully sharp now as it had been when he was eight years old, and watching his best friend walk away into the distance, little blue suitcase in one paw, and his pink water dish on top his head like some sort of hat.

When he was eleven, he was joined by the only other creature who could possibly understand—Snoopy's former best friend, Woodstock the bird. Woodstock never got over Snoopy either, and he never could find him to visit him. Woodstock still lived on today, sadly sitting in the nest just outside the window Charlie Brown would sit at everyday after school. Woodstock he had gotten used to, and it was rare that Snoopy would come up in regards to the bird, even though dog and bird were always hanging out together.

"Come on Charlie Brown, come outside. It's very nice out today, and I was thinking we could throw the ball around, for old times sakes, you know?" Linus tried to convince his best friend to come out. Charlie's sister, Sally, stood next to her boyfriend—Linus had finally caved in 9th grade to being Sally's soul mate, and they'd been going strong ever since—watching her older brother in concern. She hadn't minded it when he was ten—she'd been eight—and had refused to go out anymore, but now this had her very upset and worried.

"Go on, Big Brother. It'll be so much fun!!" she tried to help.

"No thanks. I don't feel like playing ball." He refused to think of his shortstop when he'd managed the little league team.

"How about we head over to Schroeder's and have him give us a concert in his backyard? He can use that toy piano he has yet to give up…" Linus tried again.

"Going to Schroeder's involves walking over, and I don't feel like meeting anyone." Or their dogs; no! Don't think about it!

Outside, Woodstock let off a mournful chirp, like he could read his thoughts.

Linus and Sally exchanged glances, and sighed. Turning around, they headed back outside to the Brown's backyard, where the others were waiting hopefully. Their faces fell at the miserable looks on the couple's faces, and the missing Charlie Brown.

"Nothing works. We tried baseball, and even Schroeder giving us a backyard concert on his toy piano, but he shot us down." cried Linus.

"Why is he doing this? Why does he refuse to come outside?" asked Marcie, looking confused and unhappy.

"Snoopy's why, I have no doubt. Remember when he started, after seeing that she-beagle Snoopy was always trying to impress?" asked Lucy.

"You think Chuck is still hurting that badly from Snoopy's leaving us?" asked "Peppermint" Patty.

"More then likely. When we tried the concert thing, he told us that he didn't feel up to meeting anyone else during the walk from the house." replied Sally.

"Meeting anyone else, or meeting their dogs?" questioned Franklin, somewhat darkly.

Linus stared sadly at the empty doghouse they had, rather unconsciously, gathered in front of. Memories, long since faded by the passage of time, sprung to mind once more, the most prominent among them the heartbreaking farewell party they had thrown the beagle that had once occupied the place.

Snoopy typing up his "Great American Novel", pretending to be a WWI Flying Ace after the Red Baron, just generally sleeping on top, or ordering Woodstock to type letters for him. Following these memories, others; Snoopy's game of taking his old security blanket and tossing him, playing second base and watching Shortstop Snoopy go after the ball like only a dog can and more.

A sudden memory popped out—Charlie Brown and Snoopy at Snoopy's farewell party. He had invited Charlie Brown, as former owner, up to the make-shift podium to say a few words about the guest of honor, but Charlie Brown had said nothing whatsoever. Linus, sitting directly next to the podium, had no trouble seeing the other boy's real tears, even though Charlie Brown had his face down to hide them from the others, Snoopy included.

Snoopy's heartbroken howl when Charlie Brown had finally done something—had given Snoopy a present, wrapped in simple white paper with a thin green ribbon, actually—echoed rather painfully in his mind, as did the equally heartbroken wail Charlie Brown had released in response.

"Why is Charles still not over Snoopy?"

"Snoopy was a best friend to all of us, even if it didn't look like it. For Charlie Brown, he was more then a simple best friend. Almost like a brother, perhaps. We were all heartbroken when he left, but no one was more so then Charlie Brown—save perhaps Snoopy himself." Linus found himself answering.

Everyone stared at him.

"How do you figure?" asked Patty.

"Remember the party? When I had Charlie Brown come up to say a few words? His head was bowed and remained so nearly the entire time he was up there."

"Yeah, I remember. It only moved after he had finally given Snoopy his present—Snoopy began howling and he looked up and began wailing." said Lucy.

"Charlie never got over him, and we let him stew. It was only when we were in middle school that we tried to get him to come outside, and only now that we really face the issue at hand. Man, but we are so stupid." Sally ranted, more to herself then the others.

"But do we do now? We know the issue, but there's little we can do to solve it, from the looks of it. The only way to solve the issue now is to bring Snoopy back. And we can't. Not even Woodstock found him again, and we all know he tried." Patty said.

"I don't know." And there seemed nothing more to say to that.

* * *

A few months later, when the gang had tried everything they could think of to revive Charlie Brown, call him back from the heartbroken depression Snoopy left him in for years, something even more stunning and unexpected happened. This something blew every single member of the gang out of the water.

It appeared innocently enough. Sally had just gotten the Brown family's mail, and was looking through it to see if anything had come for her. Nothing had, but she did come across an interesting letter addressed to her brother. It came, according to the return address, from the most unusual of places—the Army.

"Why would the Army be writing to you?" she asked as she handed over the letter. Charlie Brown, newly 18 since last month, smiled a mysterious smile that held no happiness in it.

"Because I sent them a letter."

"A letter? Who do you know in the Military?"

"No one. I was writing for myself."

He proceeded to ignore the gawking look his baby sister gave him as he read over the letter. He inwardly winced at his placement within the troops, but decided not to care. He would go, and it would get him away from his friends and his memories. Nothing else to it.

"What's it say?" Sally couldn't decide of she really wanted to know or not.

"I'm to report to training in a week. The camp is somewhere in Arkansas."

Sally Brown was horrified.

* * *

No one could understand why they were standing in front of Snoopy's old dog house. They were all surprised, as they had all been called, but no one could figure out why or who had called the meeting. They could only guess it had to do with Charlie Brown.

Sally was the last to join the group, and she immediately moved them into Snoopy's doghouse, which was rather bigger then it looked. They fit comfortably enough, especially since they had renovated and made it a makeshift tree-house. Once settled, Sally took the head.

"I have called this meeting to discuss something very important I have just learned this afternoon. My brother, Charlie Brown, has asked and been accepted to join the Army."

"The ARMY?!" cried Linus in alarm. Considering the war brewing in Europe, and the fact that the States could well get involved if they decide to, he probably had good reason.

"They sent a letter of acceptance back today. Charlie Brown has to go to training somewhere in Arkansas in a week. At least, according to him."

"You know otherwise?" asked Marcie.

"No. I just don't trust his word, is all."

"And we didn't know this until now? How could this have passed us?"

"He asked Mom to mail the letter for him, but I didn't see the need to report it, because I just thought it was a simple letter. Maybe he was writing to find out what happened to Lila and her family, or maybe he found another pen pal or something. I never saw its addressee."

"Wonderful. We lose Snoopy, now, ten years later, we lose Charlie Brown. Whose next? Linus? Patty? Marcie, maybe?" Lucy sounded close to tears—something she hadn't been since Snoopy left.

"I don't know. We may not lose Charlie Brown anyway. There's no guarantee that he'll be sent into service. We haven't actually entered the conflict yet. Maybe he'll just do some training and get some college money and nothing else will happen." Schroeder pointed out.

"Let us pray that's the case. If we lose Charlie Brown, so help me but I will never recover." said Patty.

The others agreed.

* * *

The farewell party the group threw for Charlie Brown was like none others they ever threw before, the exception being the farewell party held ten years earlier for a certain black and white beagle. Charlie got a few different gifts, rather then the bones everyone had gotten for Snoopy, but that was okay. The tears shed were no different for dog or boy.

So it was that things were set in motion for an interesting time for one Charles Brown. He left the next day for the camp in Arkansas, and his friends came to see him off. They waved goodbye till the plane was no longer visible, and they prayed that the only things the boy they once called "Good 'ol Wishy-Washy Charlie Brown" would receive is a few self-defense moves and some college money.

Unfortunately, their prayers weren't answered. In 1941, the Browns would receive a letter that said their son was to be sent over to Europe. Mrs. Brown would be near inconsolable. Mr. Brown would spend the next several hours in deep prayer.

Sally Brown would call another emergency meeting of the gang, and spread the word. After they were told, the gang would end up sitting in shock for a couple of hours, before they silently made their ways home. Some of them would take the path traveled by Mrs. Brown. Some of them would follow Mr. Brown's footsteps. And others would take a route not yet traveled.

But they would all stay behind at home, hoping, praying, wishing that their friend, brother and family member would come back to them, and not in a coffin.

None of them would know of what would really happen, first at a military camp in Arkansas, and then on the frontlines of war. But two independent and heartbroken souls would, and they would find each other very early on. And they would depend on each other to help themselves survive.

The only question now remains, would it be enough?

* * *

I have no idea what I am doing. Nada, zilch, zero. I got that best friends song from "Snoopy Come Home" stuck in my head, and watched the movie to get it OUT. Unfortunately, I have also become slightly obsessed lately over the Holocaust, and this has led to several very odd little stories. Concurrently, I am tempted to place a Holocaust themed Harry Potter fic up, but I'll wait.

To make matters worse, I had a little "What if" thought that pop into my head after the movie, wherein that "No dogs allowed" sign did not exist and Snoopy stuck with Lila. So now we have a Snoopy who didn't go home and a WWII plotline running rampant in my head.

This is the result.

And so I give you my very first Peanuts fic ever. I hope you liked the Prologue, and I can hardly wait to plot out Charlie Brown's reunion with Snoopy.

And yes, I'm well aware of several liberties I'm taking here. But I do not remember the comics mentioning a specific time period, I've forgotten which war Grandfather Brown fought in—I'm going to pretend it was the first world war—and if Shultz can not have them age anymore, then I can keep Snoopy from aging so that he isn't that old.

That said, I'm going to leave now, and hope you leave a review. Till next chapter!!!

Werewolf of Suburbia.


	2. Happy, Sad, and Everything Inbetween

Snoopy was rather good at communicating his thoughts and feelings to others, even if the only noises he could make were barks and growls humans wouldn't understand. It was a talent and skill he prided himself on, and one that had come in handy more times then he, or anyone else for that matter, could count. However, he wasn't exactly sure if this truly counted or not.

It had been ten long years since he had left his old friends and family behind, and started his new life with Lila. Or rather, restarted his original life with her before she had moved and he had been returned to his parents. True, he was heartbroken at leaving Charlie Brown, but he couldn't say no to Lila, never could. Which is why, against his better judgment, he had returned to her when she had offered.

His new old life hadn't been too bad. He and Lila had nearly picked up right where they had left off before she had moved, after Snoopy had gotten over his initial sadness of leaving, something Lila understood. Over the course of time, as Lila grew into a beautiful young lady, the relationship had waned a little, as Lila had started spending more time with boys and such then with him.

Snoopy didn't mind so much. With Lila occupied elsewhere, it allowed him to brood over his lost family and friends. He hadn't even seen Spike or Andy or any of his other siblings since he'd left, and he'd been in contact with them before, at his old home. Heck, he'd even lost contact with the Head Beagle!

So, the war's starting in Europe had gotten his attention rather effectively. He loved Lila, there was no fighting that, and even he knew it. But he had moved on after Charlie had taken him. True, her letter and the consequent visit to her at the hospital had come as a shock and a rather welcome one at that.

Lila offering to take him back after she got out hadn't been part of his plan, though. He would go see her, make sure she was okay, do a little catching up maybe, then go home and keep her at a distance, like a pen pal or something. When she had made the offer, his emotions were so confused and messed up, he had led Lila on in thinking he was willing to give up his life with the gang and go back to her.

And Snoopy, loyal as all dogs tended to be, couldn't go back on that afterwards, and this apartment building was animal friendly. So, he had no excuse and moved back in with Lila and her family, including the newest feline addition. Well, at least he had finally gotten over his Ailurophobia. In fact, he'd made quite the friend of Lila's new cat.

Then he came across the poster, asking for enlistments, and buying war bonds and everything else. Snoopy liked to think he could read, and perhaps he could, but most of the words on the poster were lost to him. What had captured his attention so effectively was the picture, an angry looking German Shepherd being held on a leash by a human solider.

Snoopy had wanted to help, just like the poster asked. He showed it to Lila, and communicated that he wanted to enlist. He wanted to help the Army, in case the conflict overseas called for their nation's involvement. It was his patriotic duty, and he would fulfill it if it killed him.

Lila had feared for him, and had wanted to protest, that much was evident in her wide eyes as she looked back and forth between her dog and the poster. But Snoopy begged and cajoled, and she finally, and extremely reluctantly, gave in and signed him up. Snoopy was thrilled and terrified all at once.

After being allowed to say goodbye to his family, particularly Lila, Snoopy was shipped off to an Army camp in Arkansas. The only thing Lila had to remember Snoopy by anymore—not counting her photographs—was the special dog tag given to all citizens who volunteered their dogs.

Several tests of Snoopy's character followed therein. After being deemed of good health, and of a nice age (for a dog), he was tested to see if he could handle training and possible fighting. Of course, Snoopy had to get used to walking on all fours again, and had to deal with the argument of whether or not to get his fur dyed so it'll blend in with his surroundings better, but he figured it was worth it.

After proving himself against guns and various other weaponry, the Army, thrilled that this beagle could withstand the sounds and explosions of war, sent him onwards to further training, or rather, tests that would see just what job he would be best for. After all, there were several positions open to dogs at the present time.

Snoopy was a brilliant scout dog, it turned out, and was sent through the camp to the kennel, where he awaited his actual training. However, his actual training couldn't start without a human handler to train with. So, he had to wait to be assigned to someone.

Snoopy waited, but he wasn't expecting what happened next.

* * *

Private Charles Brown was following his new commander to the kennels to get his dog. The man seemed nice enough, and kept chatting about dogs and his pets back home, and all manner of things. Truth be told, he was talking to hear his voice, because Charles Brown wasn't listening.

"Now let's see, you seem to be the sort for one of the smaller breeds around here. That's perfect, we just got a newest little friend that happens to be rather small. He should be great for you. Now, ya ready to meet your new partner?" the guy babbled happily as he and Charlie came to a stop outside one of the kennels.

"Bring him on." Charlie sighed, still trying to not think of Snoopy. It was getting harder and harder as they went deeper into the kennel. Then the kid—who couldn't be much older the Charlie himself—opened the door, and not thinking about Snoopy became impossible altogether.

After all, Snoopy was standing right in front of him.

Boy and dog looked at each other in stunned shock, each trying to convince themselves that they had to be dreaming. After ten long years of mourning each other, in some form or fashion, Charlie Brown and Snoopy had finally reunited. And the reunion couldn't have happened at a weirder place.

After all, what were the chances of reuniting at a dog training camp for the military?

"Snoopy?" asked Charlie, unable to believe what he was seeing. Sure, the beagle had changed slightly, aged and Charlie hadn't seen him on four legs in years before he left for Lila. But it was still Snoopy, white fur coat, black ears and abnormally large muzzle. The canine Peppermint Patty always insisted on seeing as human, if odd.

Snoopy didn't wait for any other cue or chance as he rushed his former friend and owner, and began to happily lick him and show just how happy he was to see Charlie. The other boy, watching all this from the sidelines, gawked as Charlie Brown, who seemed rather depressed, began laughing and crying all at once as he tried to strangle the dog in a hug.

"Well, dang, but I've never seen a dog take to someone like that before…" he breathed, continuing to go unnoticed by both dog and man.

It seemed to take forever before Snoopy could stop licking Charlie's face and Charlie could let go of his beagle, but in the end, they managed. Charlie turned to his commanding officer somewhat sheepishly, Snoopy going with him.

"This is my dog?" he asked.

"Well, there is no doubt this guy would ever want to belong to anyone but you. I've never seen such a reaction before, that was…what was that?"

"Well, Snoopy here was my dog for many years, and my best friend as well. When his original owner came back and wanted him to live with her, he went and we haven't seen each other for ten years. It was like loosing my parents or something when he left. I joined up because I couldn't stand the memories, and my friends were getting on my nerves as well. I never expected to be assigned my old dog, though."

"Well, that would explain it, wouldn't it? I'd say that one remembers you just as well as you remember him, and he's just as ecstatic at seeing you. Congratulations private, you've got your army dog, and may you train well. Good luck out there, the both of you." the last was said a little bit more professionally, but the thoughts were sincere.

"Thank you, sir." said Charlie Brown, saluting like he'd learned. He was given a return salute and promptly dismissed to bond with his old friend before training tomorrow.

It promised to be a interesting night, to say the least.

* * *

The next morning, Snoopy was woken at what he considered an ungodly hour and promptly leashed. Charlie, remembering how free-spirited the beagle could be, smiled sympathetically. It certainly hadn't been his idea to put Snoopy on a leash.

Snoopy understood, to a point, because he sat next to his new handler with only the barest of grumbles. Then he waited for his training, whatever that involved. All Snoopy expected was that it would be tough, because the Army was the Army, and it wasn't the place to play dolls or admire the Mona Lisa.

At first, training was rather easy. He and the various other scout dogs, mostly German Shepherds and Dobermans, learned how to scout, exactly. How to use their noses and ears to spot an enemy hiding in the undergrowth, and alert their handlers without giving their own location away. Snoopy, highly intelligent, understood this, and took to this part of his Army life relatively easily.

The next part of training was hard. Act two consisted of doing their jobs in stimulated battlefronts, and war zones. Snoopy didn't really like it, at all, but mostly that was because the guns and grenades and what-have-you were just short of intolerably painful on his sharp ears. Not to mention how hard it made to hear an enemy.

Snoopy and Charlie Brown made a good team, and their former friendship before Snoopy had gone off to Lila's more then likely played a very strong part of that. The other dogs bonded with their handlers to the point that they really couldn't be approached too closely by anyone but their handlers.

Snoopy was no different, and it became worse when Act three began. This was the part were scout dogs were taught how to take down an enemy for themselves in order to protect themselves, the handlers and their bases. The dogs would be rather vicious and highly effective machines against the enemy, once everything was said and done.

Snoopy took to this a great deal, more the all the other dogs combined, even. The thought of an enemy solider hurting Charlie Brown, after Snoopy had finally found him again, was not something Snoopy liked to contemplate. And he would gladly give his life for Charlie's, and he learned how to do this as best as a dog could.

By the end of training, "Good old wishy-washy" Charlie Brown had vanished. Even the depressed Charlie Brown who couldn't stand his friends insistence at doing more then sitting at the window where Woodstock had his nest had disappeared. In their places, there was Private Charles Brown, dog man of the Army's 34th infantry. This was the highly fit, muscled, ready to kill solider, although Charles had never shot anyone and probably would still lose his lunch when it finally happened.

At his side, waiting for his commands, was a black and white beagle with a vicious gleam in his eyes. Had Lila seen him after training, she wouldn't have recognized him anymore then the gang would have Charlie Brown. This was not the beagle she had loved and spoiled, this was an almost heartless, vicious beast, ready to kill if given the signal.

Even the other handlers in the infantry held a little respect for them. Snoopy, while taken in by the Army because he was qualified, had mostly been laughed at by the humans, because of what he'd been. A strange dog with the notion that it was human, walking on two legs and almost tiny in comparison to the Shepherds and Dobermans brought in by people the country over. At first glance, Snoopy hadn't been any kind of Army dog, just a misplaced beagle, looking for the foxhunt.

But now, now Snoopy was far more then that. There was a predatory gleam in his intelligent black eyes and a fierce love for the man he called handler. This beagle was sharp and alert, and ready to spot the opposition and help take them down in a heartbeat. There was no baying for this beagle. He was capable of communicating by tensing his whole body and pointing his abnormally large muzzle in the direction of the intruder. A flick of the ears was all Private Brown needed to know that his dog had scented someone.

Charlie had gotten used to the strict organization and democracy of the military, and had gotten used to seeing his old friend on all four legs. He hadn't liked act three of the training, hadn't liked that Snoopy had exposed fangs more times during this part then in all the time Charlie had known him, but he went with it. He could tell that those sharp and pointy fangs were only out because he was in danger.

And Snoopy took his human being in danger very personally.

And so, this was how it worked for the expert team of man and beagle. Going in front of the teams when they infiltrated, Snoopy spotting enemies and Charlie attacking them, or pointing them out for the others to attack. In fact, some of the soldiers admitted that they thought Snoopy and Charlie Brown were one of the best man-dog teams to have come into the dog troops in maybe forever.

Then, then it was 1941, and things changed for them all.

* * *

"_To Mr. and Mrs. Brown,_

_Because of the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor on 7 December, the US government has decided to enter this war. We will not let this injustice rest until our country is safe again for it's citizens, and thusly, we intended to avenge ourselves against the Japanese and their allies. _

_Because the US has decided to enter the conflict overseas, we have sent various military forces to attack various enemy bases. We are both proud and regretful to inform you that the 34__th__ Infantry of the Army, including the dog troops attached to it, have been sent into the conflict. This is the division hosting your son, Private Charles Brown. _

_We cannot assure you that your son will come back alive from the fight. Nothing is ever so assured in warfare, but we can assure you that his efforts for his country will not go unappreciated, and we will make sure to keep him as safe as is possible. We can promise you this, however, that we will keep you informed of your son's circumstances should they change for the worse._

_We again feel both proud and regretful to inform you about your son, and it is our opinion that whatever happens to him over there, you should not be more proud of him then right now. Hopefully, we will not need to contact you again for anything less then informing you Private Brown is coming home, but warfare is warfare. Till we next meet, _

_The US Army._"

Mrs. Brown had not taken this letter well. After making sure she wasn't dreaming, she had raced to her room and refused to come out or be consoled. That was okay, because Mr. Brown was too busy to console his wife right then anyway. Instead, he set out for his barber shop and took a detour to the baseball field, were he sat on the pitcher's mound his son used to stand on all the time, so long ago, and prayed. He did not move from the mound for many hours.

Sally Brown, on the other hand, managed to stave off her emotions and the need for her to lock herself in her room and sob for the next week. This was not something she wanted to do, but she felt the others in the gang needed to know what was going on, and this was something they needed to know now.

5 minutes later, she was waiting in Snoopy's old doghouse for the rest of the crew to show up. She was still keeping herself from following her mother's footsteps, but she had finally lost the battle against her tears, which coursed silently down her face. Linus raced to hug her and comfort her, but he was worried as well. Sally had called this meeting, and from the looks of it, it wasn't pleasant news she had to deliver.

"Sally, what's wrong? What's going on?" asked Lucy in a voice that said she didn't want to know, but needed to anyway.

"We got a letter from the Army today. Thanks to the attack at Pearl Harbor back on the 7th, the US is finally entering the conflict overseas. Charlie's group is one of the ones going." Sally half-sobbed, passing the note around for everyone to read.

Lucy took one look at it, skimmed it and began sobbing as her hands trembled. Franklin, his own face extremely pale, particularly for an African-American held her tightly in his own shocked grief. Linus went straight into denial, and chanted "No, no, no, no" under his breath as he continued to hold his girlfriend. Sally buried her face into his shirt.

Several of the group up and left after reading the letter. Patty, Schroeder, Marcie and others raced home to vent their feelings. The girls all locked themselves in their rooms in tears, and Schroeder, always the piano buff, began playing one of the saddest songs he knew, although it just made his own feelings worse. It got to the point that he couldn't even see the piano keys anymore for his tears, and was playing based on memory alone.

Violet began to sob, regretting every mean thing she had ever said to Charlie Brown, and all over the neighborhood, teenagers mourned their friend, their families helpless to comfort them. After all, they didn't know what was going on, for one thing, and the teens were in no state to tell them at the moment.

Besides which, how do you comfort someone when their best friend has just gone to war, and they might never see them again? Might see them again, baring scars and memories and nightmares they didn't have the last time, missing arms or legs or paralyzed or blind? How do you comfort someone when they just learned that "What if?" had just become their catchphrase? When their nightmares featured something that might very well be reality.

How to you comfort someone when the horrible thought that their best friend might just very well come home in a coffin might not just be a thought in the future?

There was no comfort for the gang of best friends that night, anymore then there was for the Brown parents. And far away, trying hard to swallow his terror and be the brave solider he now was, Charlie Brown sat with his beagle, and tried not to think about what would happen to him as soon as the sun rose tomorrow. For those things were not something to think about.

After all, there was no use tempting Fate, now, was there?

* * *

here we are, an actual update! I had planned on spending my entire weekened to updating all my stories, but then I got involved in Danny Phantom (It's my newest obsession), and work needed me me and life sucks sometimes, but you just gotta go with it. I promise that I will devote all my time NOT sleeping, eating and working to updating ALL my fics, but it may be slow. And heaven help me, but I no doubt WILL be distracted again by, well, SOMETHING. I'm like a two-year-old that way...ugh. Anyway, just leave a review, if you please, and I'll see ya later!

WOS


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